Monitoring of Ecosystem Impacts for the revised National
Emissions Ceilings Directive

JNCC recently provided advice to Defra about
proposed revisions to Article 8/Annex V of the National
Emissions Ceiling Directive (NECD). The revision aims to work
towards the European Union’s long-term goal: “to achieve levels of
air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts
on and risks to human health and the environment”. JNCC
undertook a review of the current biodiversity monitoring schemes,
as well as noting measurements of air pollutants (sulphur
dioxide, ammonia, ozone and nitrogen oxides). This reviewed the
effectiveness of high and low intensity sampling schemes at
detecting impacts of air pollution, either focused at specific
sites or across the countryside.

There is more certainty about impacts of air
pollutants associated with high intensity sampling where pollution
and vegetation are recorded in detail from the same location.
However, such intensive studies are generally limited to a small
number of sites due to their high cost. The ability to have a much
larger sample size in low intensity schemes compensates for this,
and useful results have been obtained from analysis
of widespread vegetation records against modelled Nitrogen
deposition. The advice document proposed that Member
States of the EU should be allowed flexibility in evidence
provision. It is likely to be most beneficial and cost effective to
ensure that monitoring of ecosystem impacts is outcome
orientated.